Picker mechanism and controlling-cam for knitting-machines.



A. IVI. PIGEON.

PICKER MECHANISM AND CONTROLLING CAM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 001225. I9I2.

Patented Nov. 20, 191?.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

FIG I.

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JM In www A. II/II PIGEON. PICKER MECHANISIVI AND CONTROLLING CANI FOR KNI'ITING MACHINES. APPLICATloN HLED ocT.25,1912.

l 95479 24 Patented. Nov. 20, 191?.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- A. IVI. PIGEON.

PICKER MECHANISM AND CONTROLLING CAM FOR KNITTING MACHINES. APPLlcATmN FILED ocT. 25, 1912.

l 47934, Patented. Nov. 20, 191?,

3 sHEE'Ts-SHEET 3.

FIG M imitan' entre rattan mon ALBERT M. PIGEON, OF IHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AASSSIGNOR T0 PGEN MACHINE COMPANY, 0E PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, .EL CRPORATION F PENNSYLVANIA.

inattesa.

i Specication of Letters Patent.

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Application led October 25. 1912. Serial No. 727,703.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, ALBERT M. PIGEON, of Philadel hia, in the county of Philadelphia and tate of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Picker Mechanism and Controlling-Cams for Knitting-Machines, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. rllhe invention relates more particularly to the pull-down picker mechanism and to the controlling cams which raise the long `butt needles to inactive position for knittin the heel and toe pockets of a stocking, an

which lower said long butt needles to active 'in providing separately mounted cams which are independently and alternately operated for either raising the long butt needles to inactive position, or for depressing said long butt needles to active knitting position.

These and other objects will in part be obvious, and will in part be hereinafter more fully described.

ln the drawings which show by way of Aillustration one embodiment of the invention, Figure I, is a vertical sectional View through a portion of a knitting machine having my improvements applied thereto.

Fig. ll, is a side view of a portion of the upper end ofsaid knitting machine.

Fig. III, is a plan view showing the controlling cams and the pull-down pickers.

Fig. IV, is a dia animatie view, showing the relative position of the pull-down pickers, the controlling cams, the stitch cams, and the narrowing pickers.

Fig. V, is a detail view showing the pull down pickers when released so as to becin active position.

Fig. VI, is a sectional view on the line VI, VI, of Fig. V, showing the springs tor operating the pull down pickers.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the knitting machine consists generally in a needle cylinder which' is formed with radial ribs providing channels for spring beard needles. These needles are raised and lowered by the usual knitting cams. Said needles are formed in two series, one of which is provided with long`butts and the other with short butts, so lthat the two series may be controlled, as is common in the art for circular knitting, or for knitting the heel and toe pockets of a stocking.

Cooperating with the needles are pickers which are brought into operation during the knitting of the heel and toe pockets or narrowing and widening the same. The pickers for narrowingthe heel and toe pockets are of the usual construction. 'lhe picker mechanism for widening the heel and toe pockets comprises two independently mounted pickers, one of which is active when the cylinder is moved in one direction, and the other of which is active when the cylinder is moved in the opposite direction. These ini dependent picker-s are mounted on a bracket and so supported as to move at an angle to the plane of travel of the cylinder. rlhe two pickers are rendered inoperative during circular knitting by a rod which is common to both pickers, and which is moved into Contact therewith through a suitable mechanism controlled by the shifting of the clutch to bring about the change in the movement of the needle cylinder.

The long butt needles are moved to inactiva position by a raising cam, and are brougiit again to active position by a depressing caml This raising cam is mounted independently of the lowering cam and the two cams are alternately moved intooperative position by suitable mechanism, also controlled by the shifting of the clutch which changes the movement of the needle cylinder.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the invention consists in a needle cylinder 1, which is provided with radial ribs 2, forming needle channels, in each of which is a spring beard needle 3. This spring beard needle is attached, as herein shown, to a needle jack 4, having a butt 5, adapted to be engaged by suitable knitting cams.

titi

While I have vs-hownithe ...needle as :attached to a needle jack itjwilli be obvious that. the

invention is not'directed :to this-*featurefof the machine, andfftheneedle butts-mayfrbe formed directly onthejneedles. Hereinafter; I shall refer .tothe needles as having j'long and short butts, .andgthis 'will .be understood as covering eitherjtlie V form wherein an inl.` dependent jack-'i used,or..where the needle?- ly' fon the needle.

butt is formeddir Fig.. I, the :butt .5,'of

As clearly-shown the needle jack '.f. on ftheifrightj handoff the` figure is longer. than` the butt, of the needle' jack on'the leftof .theiigurf Ihave divided the needles into twoseries, whicharefsubffi stantially equal. 'in number, and one of the -1 series has the..lungibuttsl and the other the i.,

short butts `asabove:noted.

stocking.v The geardfmesheswith aigear',

which is mountedjfto- :rotate onftlie:v main" frame 9, and saidg'gear, lis fixedlyattached to a bevel gearlflO..

' rotated for Y rotatingithe'-.needlecylinder, lor

of is notI thought necessary;

oscillated for causing V:theneedle cylinder to oscillate. This rotating. cf 'thel needlecylinr.; der andthe oscillating {ther-cof,'scQntrOlled Y h supporting pivot26. This stopscrew isheld. adjusted .positionsv by a locky by the shiftingjof'the'vclutclu` is controlled bly-*a suitable@ nism as is commonin'this and further description or l.il

- The needles are supplie from a suitable yarn' guide of theneedles'are 'depressed o from. The mannerv ofi feeding the yarn .to the needles, the supportin of theyarn, and the closing of thebeards ogthe needles` ..formv no part of the present invention, and a def tailed description thereof is not thought nec essary. Y

Referring to Fig. IV, I haveshownfdiaknitting stockings. In this view, the Stitch cams are indicated at. 11,- and 12, andcoperating with each,r stitch cam is a 'switch cam 13, and 14, respectively. 'A picker 15,: operates to raise ther-.needles of the short.

butt series when forming the heel and toe pockets, one at a time, to inactive position when the needle cylinderlis moving in one direction, and thepicker v16, operatesv to raise one needle :ata-time at the other endv of the series to inactive position` when the needle cylinder is 'moving in the opposite vlong butt ne tionbya raising ca'm21.l'

Thel ibevel. gears. 10, is

ustration there-. v I' thebeards 'Y t `lelftllied a relation to the rotationv or. oscillation of the if cylinder, so .'that loops formed '-'around the` Shanks of thel needles mayfbeished theredirection. v'stitch cams, switch caniS and pickers,form `nopart ofthe preseiitinventmn, and yfurther "description thereof is'v inotthoughtnecessary. 1

with the long butts into'active position for and at the be 'nning of the toe pocket, these I The pickers 17, and-1 8, arev separately 1m'ounted.vv The picker 18, is formed-.with a picker head and a shank 22, whichismount- `ed in 'a' suitable lsocket in'an arm 23, pivoted at 24e,v to a bracket 2 5, `whichin turn is pivthe heel 7 fthe circular knitting, This is accomplished by thethrowingdown cam or lowering cam 20. :At the: beginning.. of the .heel'pocket,

les are moved to inactive posioted by a screw 26, `to afstandard 27, Xedly 1 attached to the supporting frame 9, of the machine.l The bracketf25, .is formed with "a verticalface which 4rests against the standard, and this bracketis adapted toy swing f v 28 is .carried by the swinging bracket, and is adapted to engage the standard to limit theV in a kvertical plane. f A stopjscrew swmging movement ofthe bracket on its in .various nut29.

The bracket `25,'is formed with a lateral v.projection which has an upper inclined face 30.-".v The arm .23, carrying the picker 18,

rests on this inclined face, and is adapted to swir'ig in a' plane arallel with said in clinediface. `It will t us be apparent that .the picker 18, may be swung 1n a verticalV` plane by the movement ofthe swinging bracket 25, and may be swung in a plane at sliding the needles in thelr channels Vfrom van angle thereto by. the movement of the.y I. y `supporting arm `on the swinging bracket.

...These combined movements inactive to active position. As a matter of fact, the picker 1s so formed that two needles are simultaneously engaged and move 4from inactive to act1ve positlon.

The picker 19, is similarly mounted and constructedyand the parts for supporting the same have been similarly'numbered, and the .description for one will'answer for the other, the only dili'erence'between the two pickers `being' that the vsupportin face of supporting face on the bracket Afor the picker-1s.

the swinging .bracket for thepic er19, isl

.inclined .inthe opposite ldirection tothe 12.5 i

Thea'i'm 23,5 `for supporting thepicker,

strikes against' the supportngfbracket ,which limits 'its movement in: 'afdilfeltion aar/aat bringing about a change in the movement of the needle cylinder. When the rod is moved toward the needle cylinder, the lugs 32, will be engaged, and the pickersswung about their pivotal supports to inacti e position. When the rod is moved in th opposite direction, the pickers are released,

and the springs will throw the pickers into active position.

The operation of the pickersy will be apparent from Fig. IV. These pickers cooperate, as above noted, with the leading needles of the short butt needles, which are to be thrown down to active position. Each picker is formed with an inclined outer face 35, also with an overhanging lip 36, and a chamfered lower face 37. When the needles are moving in the direction of the arrow, Fig. IV, the butts which contact with the picker 17, will depress the same and ride over this picker, which will be ineffective to disturb the position of the needle butts. The advance needle butts of the series will engage underneath the overhanging lip 36, of .the picker 18, and the movement of the cylinder will swing the picker in such direction as to carry the butts engaged thereby down to active position, so that said needle butts will be engaged by the stitch cams. When the needles are moving in the direction indicated, the stitch cam 12, becomes effective for bringing about the movement of the needles for knitting.

When the cylinder is moving in the opposite direction, the picker 18, becomes ineffective in a similar manner, and the advance needle butts will be brought into contact with the side face of the picker 17, underneath the projecting lip thereon, and said picker will operate to carry the two needle butts engaged thereby to active knitting position, and when the cylinder is moving in this direction, the stitch cam 11, becomes effective.

The lower ends of the pickers are chamiered, so as to permit said picker heads to slide over the tops of the needle butts or disengage the same when said needle butts have been moved to the full lower level.

In order to insure the needle butts being positioned at the proper level for engagement with the pickers, I have provided a fixed guard cam 38, which is mounted on the. standard 27, supporting the pickers. Thls cam 38, will engage the needle butts 11 they are accidentally moved to an im- 70 lproper height, and lower the same so as to brin them into proper engagement with the pic ers.

, From the above description, the operation of the pickers formoving the needles for widening the heel and toe pockets will be obvious. It will be noted that I have .provided two independently movable pickers, one of which is active when the needle cylinder is moving in one direction, and the other of which is active when the needle cylinder is moving in the opposite direc'- tion. These pickers also ma be simultaneously moved to inoperative position when the parts are positioned for circular knitting. i

' The raising cam 21, which engages the long butt needles for moving the same to y idle position, is mounted on a lever 39, which is pivoted on a vertical stud 40, carried by the supporting frame of the machine. This lever 39, supporting projects beyond the stud, and 1s provided with al vertically eX- tending pin 41. The lowering cam 20, is mounted on an arm 42, which is also fulcrumed about the stud 40, and movable independently of the lever 39, carried thereby.

A spring 43, is fixed to the lever 39, and engages the bracket on which the picker 15, is mounted, and operates to hold said raising cam 21, in position for engaging the long butt needles. A spring 44, is fixed to the arm 42, and coperates with a fixed part on the frame, so as to normally press the cam 20, toward the needle cylinder. A bracket 45, is carried by a suitable arm 46, which is attached to the cross rod which is moved endwise when the clutch is shifted for changing from one movement to the other of the needle cylinder. This bracket 45, is provided with an arm 47 which is so positioned as to engage the pin 41, when the bracket is moved toward the needle cylinder. The bracket is also provided with an arm 48, having a slot 49, therein., adapted to cngage a pin 50, carried by the lever 42. When the bracket 45, is moved toward the needle cylinder, the pin 41, will be engaged, and the cam 21, withdrawn from the needle cylinder. This movement of the bracket also 12.` causes the arm 48, to release the pin 50, and allows the spring 44, to move the cam 20, toward the needle cylinder. When the bracket 45, is moved in the opposite direction, the end of the slot 49, engages the pin 50, and withdraws the cam 20. At the same time, the arm 47, moves out of contact with the pin 41, and allows the spring 43, to move the cam 21, toward the needle cylinder.

Mounted on the bracket 45, and movable therewith, is an arm 51, which is adapted to engage a pin 52, carriedby the picker 15. WVhen the bracket 45, is moved toward the needle cylinder, this throws the cam 20, into action, which positions the needles for circular knitting. This movement of the bracket will move the picker 15, out of operative position, so that it will not engage the needle butts during` the rotations of the cylinder.

It will thus be seen that I have provided raising and lowering cams for the lon butt needles which are separately mounte and which are independently actuated for moving the same into and out of operative position relative to the needle cylinder.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a plurality of needles having butts, or the like, carried by said cylinder, widening pickers, means for separately supporting said pickers, whereby said pickers may be moved independently of each other, the outer faces of said pickers being oppositely tapered so that one picker becomes effective when the needle cylinder is moving in one direction, and the other picker becomes effective when the needle cylinder is moving in the opposite direction, each of said picker heads having the lower face thereof chamfered for freeing the butts of the active series and for releasing the picker heads from the needle butts.

2. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a plurality of needles having butts, or the like, carried by the cylinder, a widening picker for actively engaging the needle butts when thecylinder is moved in one direction, and a widening picker for actively engaging the needle butts when the cylinder is moved in the opposite direction, a supporting arm for each picker, a swinging bracket for each pickerv arm, a standard to which the swinging brackets are pivoted, so as to swing in vertical planes, and substantially radially of the needle cylinder, said widening pickers being turnable about pivots on the brackets inclined to the vertical, and means for holding the pickers in operative position relative to the needle cylinder.

3. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a plurality of needles having butts, or the like, Carried by the cylinder, a widening picker for actively enga ing the needle butts when the cylinder 1s moved in one direction, and a widening picker for actively engaging the needle butts when the cylinder is moved in the opposite direction, a supporting arm for each picker,

inder, a widening picker for actively engaging the needle butts when the cylinder 1s moved in one direction, and a widening picker for actively engaging the needle butts when the cylinder is movedlin the opposite direction, a supporting arm 4Jfor each picker, a radially swinging bracket for each picker arm, a standard to which the swinging,

brackets are pivoted, so as to swing in vertical planes, means automatically swinging said brackets radially for holding the pickers in operative position relative to the needle cylinder, each of said swinging brackets having a vertically extending lug, a rod for engaging said lug, and means for moving said rod to render said pickers inoperative.

5. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a series of needles having long butts, and a series of needles having short butts, a cam for raising the needles having long butts to idle position, a cam for lowering said needles to active position,

means for separately supporting said cams, springs for independently moving said cams toward the needle cylinder, a laterally shiftable bracket, and arms'carried thereby and adapted to alternately engage said cams for moving the same away from the needle cylinder.

6. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a series of needles having long butts, and a series of needles having short butts, a cam for raising the needles having long butts to idle position, a cam for lowering 'said needles to active position, means for separately supporting said cams, springs for independently moving said cams toward the needle cylinder, a laterally shiftable bracket, an arm carried thereby for engaging and moving one cam away from the cylinder when the bracket moves toward the cylinder, and a second arm carried by said bracket for engaging and moving the other cam away from the cylinder when the bracket moves away from the cylinder.

7. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a series of needles having long butts, and a series of needles having short butts, a cam for raising the needles having long butts to idle position, a cam for lowerinfg said needles to active position, means or separately supporting said cams, springs for normally pressing the cams to- Lamme 5 said bracket coperating with said supporte ing means for the cams, whereby said cams are alternately moved toward and from the needle cylinder by the shifting of the bracket, a narrowing picker, and an arm 0 carried by said bracket for engaging and moving said narrowing picker to inoperative position, when said long butt needles are lowered to active position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- 15 Vania, this twenty-first day of October, 1912.

ALBERT M. PIGEUN. lVitnessesx:

JAMES H. BELL, E. L. Femminili. 

